


Please Remember Me!

by RedwoodQueen (txslonghorns39)



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Boston After Dark, Canon Related, Depression, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Headcanon, Love at First Sight, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, My First Fanfic, Quests, Romance, Sad, Slow Burn, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-09-21 02:04:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9527015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/txslonghorns39/pseuds/RedwoodQueen
Summary: H2-22 was only in the Sole-Survivors life for a moment, but what if in that moment they made a connection that was strong enough to overcome a memory wipe.  Can love really overcome any obstacle? The sole survivor will go to any lengths to find out.





	1. I Wasn't Expecting You

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a short story that popped in my head after hearing the Goodbye from H2-22, as I started writing it started to grow and now it will be several chapters. It slightly follows the Boston After Dark quest, but expands it a lot.

 

“Charmer, this is what we do, we help synths disappear, this is what you signed up to help us do.” Nora knew she was right, but to her this one was different. “Your job was simple, meet with the handler and turn the synth over to him and leave “It really was as simple as she was describing it, but it hadn’t worked out that way. Nora knew how things worked around here. Synths escaped the Institute, they were picked up handed off to another agent, then they had their memories wiped and in some cases, they even got new faces, but she couldn’t just let it go at that. She needed to find him before they wiped his memory.  “Dez, I am not going to get into this with you, I just need to see him, to talk to him, even if it’s just to say goodbye.”  Dez took a deep breath.  “look, we couldn’t let you see him again, if he hesitated in anyway, he could have refused the memory wipe and it would have put you both in danger. So, we decided to move him in the middle of the night so we could get him out before you could interfere.”

 “Damn it Dez, you owe me this. After everything I have done for you and the Railroad.  Clearing the switchboard, all the dead drops, the cache’s I have recovered, not to mention all the intel I have collected on the Institute, have I once asked for anything for myself? Dez just stood there saying nothing.  “WHERE IS HE?”  “Charmer, part of what makes the railroad work is that once a synth has been turned over to a handler we no longer have any idea where they are. In the event, any of us are captured, there is no danger of the Institute finding out, who is involved and where they can find any escaped synths.” “I understand your upset, but you have to let this go, he will be safe and able to live a normal life thanks to you.”   Tears started to well up in Nora’s eyes, but she fought them back.

 “I will not let this go” she yelled. ‘For the first time since I left that god forsaken vault I found something, someone I felt connected to, someone who made me feel alive again. After everything I have been through, do you have any idea what that feels like?”  “I have been walking around like a robot, I’ve felt dead inside. I never thought I would feel anything again, and then I met him, and I had hope, you guys just took all that away.”  Dez gave her an icy stare, more than likely because everyone in HQ had stopped what they were doing and were staring at them. She realized at this point that she was yelling, but she didn’t care Nora needed to find him.  “Dez, please I am begging you, if you know anything that can help me I need you tell me.”  She shook her head and said, “The Memory Den, in Goodneighbor.”  “Once a synth is ready to be moved they go to the Memory Den in Goodneighbor, Dr. Amari is the one who performs the memory wipes.”  Dez tried one more time, to talk her down, “you are probably too late, I am sure the memory wipe is already complete.” Nora wasn’t having any of it, if he was at the Memory Den, then that is where she was going!! Deacon followed her as she went to grab her pack, and rifle. “Charmer is it really worth all this?” “I wouldn’t expect you to understand Deacon, but as my friend and my partner I at least expect you to have my back.” Deacon hesitated, “Look Deacon I am going, with or with or without you. If you choose not to come, that is fine, but please do not try to stop me.”  “Charmer I am not about to let you do this alone I’m in.” Just then out of the corner of her eye she noticed Glory walking over with her trusty mini-gun and a smile. “Glory, what are you doing?”  “Can’t let you guys have all the fun” “it’s late and it’s dark out there, you two will never make it in time on your own “I will clear you a path to Goodneighbor, and make sure you both get there in one piece” Nora could see the look on Desdemona’s face and she knew she had resigned herself to the fact that she may not like it, but she could not stop it.  Nora took off running out of the church and headed to the Memory Den where she prayed she could stop Dr. Amari from wiping the mind of the man, who changed everything for her.  As they navigated the route to Goodneighboor, everything that had happened leading up to this moment came back to her. Spurring her on to get to him before she lost him forever.

 

* * *

H2-22 was his Institute designation and he was the first synth she was asked to assist moving out of the Commonwealth, after joining the Railroad.  It was a simple enough job. Go to Bunker Hill, find Old Man Stockton, go to the meeting place to clear the area of raiders and wait for him to arrive with the synth, then wait for another railroad contact to escort him to the safe house.  Simple job, she didn’t give it a second thought, wasn’t going to take more than a day and then she could move on to finding a way into the institute.  Everything changed the moment Stockton walked into the run-down church with H2-22.

He was dressed as a farmer and looked so innocent.  His hair was a dark brown and short, and little messed up, but it fit him. Nora looked at his eyes, they were a deep brown, and she saw so many emotions, fear, excitement, and curiosity.  He smiled at her and she felt a pang in her heart, all she could think of in that moment was how badly she wanted to hold him and tell him everything was going to be okay. Nora was overcome with this intense need to be close to him, and to protect him. She told herself that it was the agent in her, wanting to protect people, she was sure she would feel that way about anyone in his situation. She turned her attention, back to H2.  He was so scared, he was afraid to even talk to her. “Mr. Stockton told me it was best if I didn’t talk to anyone.” She understood that, but felt compelled to talk to him, she was so inexorably drawn to him.

H2-22 was so happy to see them, Nora introduced herself, and the first thing he said was “another person actually happy to meet me, this will take some getting used to” She felt something shift inside her, what had he been through to be so scared and so surprised by people simply being nice. Then he thanked her and said he appreciated that they would stick their necks out for him. He looked at her and she could see the fear in his eyes and the uncertainty. “I wanted to thank you. This world is…overwhelming. But people like you make me feel better about coming here.” Nora thought about what he said., “hadn’t that been me when I first left the vault.” She remembered, “I felt scared and so lost in the Commonwealth, but I meet people who helped me find my way and gave me purpose.” She felt like she could do the same for him.  She felt connected to him, like they were kindred spirits, and she felt something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, almost like butterflies in her stomach, could she be feeling attracted to H2, a synth she has known less than an hour? She told herself that was crazy, and put it out of her head, but there was still a kind of nagging feeling that this exchange would not be as simple as she had originally thought.

Once High-Rise got to the meeting place and they finished all the introductions, he explained that they needed to move H2 to the Ticonderoga Safe House and that H2 was going to get a new face and a memory wipe, before he was smuggled out of the Commonwealth.  Nora, understood why they did this, hell she even agreed that it was a good idea. So why was the thought of them doing this to H2 so unsettling to her.  She was there to help him, the face change and the memory wipe would do that, but something just felt wrong, about the whole situation. She finally acknowledged what she was feeling, when they wiped his memory, they would be wiping her out.  Nora felt silly for even having the thought. Why in the world, would she care if a synth forgot who she was, but she did care, and that was unnerving.

They led H2-22 from the church to the safe house fighting raiders all the way, Nora kept looking back to check on H2. She was surprised at how well he handled the trip. There was fighting going on all around him, he should have been paralyzed in fear, but his determination to survive and start over was so strong, he didn’t let fear overcome him or keep him from getting to safety.  They made it to the safe house and got on the elevator immediately.  He stood right next to her on the elevator she could feel the warmth radiating off him and caught the faint scent of him, and it hit her hard, she was turned on, by this man. Just before they reached the top level and H2 looked over at her and she swore she saw a glint of the same thing she was feeling. At that exact moment, she felt his fingers wrap around her hand and it sent her senses into chaos. When they exited the elevator, he did not let go of her hand, and when she turned around to see why, he smiled at her “you make me feel safe” a lump caught in her throat, he continued “will you stay here with me?” “I don’t want you to leave.” Nora felt tears stinging her eyes, but choked them back. She knew that even if she stayed with him, till it was time for him to move again, he would eventually lose any memory he had of her, she knew that staying with him, and harboring any idea that there could be anything between them, was selfish, the mind wipe would wipe her out, but it would also wipe out the horrible memories of the institute and all the horrible things he has suffered.  She had to let go now before things got complicated. Just say goodbye and walk away. It was for the best.  “H2, I want to stay with you, but I have other people to help.” She saw the sadness and disappointment in his eyes, and couldn’t bring herself to be the cause of it.  “H2 I will stay for a little while.”  He instantly walked up to her and wrapped her up in his strong arms and held her tighter than she can ever remember being held, as if she was his lifeline. 

They stayed liked that for just a few moments, but it felt like an eternity, neither of them wanting to let go. She felt herself becoming flushed, warmth spread throughout her body, and wetness pooled in her core.  This is impossible, Nora thought. There is no way, this can’t actually, be happening.  She wondered for a second if synths could be turned on? Could they really fall in love? She would have to be sure to ask Glory when she got back to HQ.  Nora’s world turned upside down for a second, all thoughts of her former life, of Nate of the horrible things she had seen and done since waking up were gone, there was only this moment, this man. She savored every second of the contact she could, she wanted to memorize him, his smell, the feel of his body, his breath. She wished she could read his mind, but was glad she couldn’t, cause this way she could imagine that he felt the same way and was just as caught up in her as she was in him. She had her head resting on his chest and she swore to herself that she could feel his heart stammering in his chest.   She reminded herself, they had just escaped raider battle, that must be why his heart was stammering in his chest, she didn’t want to her hopes up. She sighed deeply and broke the contact, which to anybody watching may have seemed inappropriately long. 

H2 smiled deeply at her, and gently brushed a hair off of her face, his hand lingered on her cheek, and Nora realized she must have been in a lusty haze, because she swore he looked ready to kiss her, but to her surprised disappointment he just smiled and asked her where he was supposed to go from here.  Nora knew that she had promised H2 she would stay, but knew that she needed to get out of there for a bit and clear her head.  She walked over to the couch he was sitting on and explained why she had to leave. “H2, I have to go back to HQ and let them know everything is okay here, High-Rise here will take care of you while I am gone.” He looked at her and sighed “I realize you are very busy, and very important. You don’t have to stay here and hold my hand the whole time.” It was at the moment she realized that they had been holding hands the whole time she had been sitting there talking to him.  “H2 I will be back as soon as I can I promise.”  She stood up to leave and as she went to remove her hand from his, he held it for a second longer and brought it up to his lips and brushed them softly across the back of her hand, her breath caught at the contact of his lips on her skin, and her mind immediately went to all the other places he could place those lips, she lost all coherent thought and just gave into the feeling.  The pressure increased as he kissed her hand, and then as quickly as the feeling began it was gone, her hand felt empty, and at that moment she realized so did her heart. 

As she made her way downstairs she told herself she was being ridiculous she had known this man only a few hours. There was no way she could feel something this strong about a complete stranger, who she was supposed to be protecting, not taking advantage of. “I am fantasizing about a man I just met, who is innocent and needs protection, not some lusty woman who wants to lick every part of him.” Wow she realized just how far gone she was and told herself, she needed to let this go, and be professional.  She finally had herself convinced about halfway to HQ. When she remembered the hug and the feel of his lips on her skin, and the look in his eyes when she thought he might have been about to kiss her, it was at that moment she knew this was going to get a whole more complicated, because she had sacrificed enough since the bombs fell and her world was destroyed.  She was going back to Ticonderoga and she was going to see just what this was between her and H2-22. She owed them both that much.


	2. I Love Him, I Love Him Not!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter, but the way the story is unfolding it seemed like a good breaking point. The next chapter is going to be when the good stuff happens. I hope you enjoy it.

Nora was so preoccupied with thoughts of H2 that she barely remembered the trip back to HQ. She walked in and immediately found Dr. Carrington to let him know that the transfer was a success and that H2 was safe. Nora knew not to expect an outpouring of gratitude from him, and she was right all she got was “well at least you got something right.” She avoided Dez as much as possible other than to let her know that H2 was safe. Glory was the person she came here to see.

Glory was sitting eating and chatting with another agent, when Nora interrupted and asked if she could speak to Glory alone. Glory could see that Nora was agitated, and got up to talk to Nora. They walked out of HQ headed for the church interior where she was sure they would have privacy.

Nora, began by asking Glory about synths and their behavior and programming. Glory answered them, but finally interrupted Nora.

“What gives with all the questions, I have no problem answering them, but why the sudden interest?” Nora hesitated, looked around to be sure no one was going to hear her.

“Glory, something crazy happened and I have no idea how or why, and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do now.”

Glory sat stunned as Nora recounted every detail of what happened on her last mission with H2. “Holy shit” was all Glory could say. Nora dropped her head in her hands and sighed heavily. Nora braced herself and looked at Glory and asked the only two real questions she had traveled all this way to ask.

“Glory, I need to know if a synth can fall in love, and can they” Nora hesitated with the last question and Glory interrupted her and laughed.

“Yes, Gen 3 synths are designed to function as normal humans, in every way.”

“They need to be able to blend in and not be detected, so they are programmed to emulate real human behavior and emotions.”

“The institute likes to think synths are not real humans and can’t think or feel on their own, that is how they justify keeping the synths as slaves.”

Glory took Nora’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “I am living proof that the institute is wrong, I am as human as you are, I feel love, hurt, joy, sadness, and I dream and hope like anyone else, we have free will, and we are emotionally capable of having all kinds of different relationships.”

“H2 escaped, because he wanted more from life, he wanted to be happy, he knew that he was more than what the institute told him he was.” Glory continued “H2 is fresh out of the institute, so he might need time to get used to life on the outside, but he is absolutely capable of feeling everything you feel."

”Nora perked up at this last statement a spark of hope began to bloom that maybe H2 was feeling some of what she had been feeling. Glory then gave her a smirk, and with a wink said.

“Oh, and yes we can have and fully enjoy sex.” Nora blushed and began stammering

“Oh I wasn’t ask, I mean that was not” she let out a sigh and finally just admitted

“Okay the thought had crossed my mind, once, or twice, okay a lot”

At that she and Glory laughed together out loud. Glory asked Nora, “what is your plan, Dez is not going to sit by and let this go, she will want the memory wiped as soon as possible, and then move him out immediately after.”

“Dez figures the longer an escaped synth is here in the Commonwealth, that is puts more heat on the Railroad and increases the risk of trouble, and after the switchboard she is extra jumpy.”

Nora tried to explain to Glory why she felt compelled to see H2 again and find out what if anything was going on. “Glory, I lost everything when I entered that vault, and when I left the vault I felt numb.” Nora felt the tears, but held them back.

“I understand how these synths feel, not knowing where they are, everything feels foreign to them and they have no idea how they are going to survive in the wasteland, that is why I joined the Railroad, to help them. Just like Preston, and Deacon have helped me.”

Nora finally told Glory that H2 made her feel something she believed she would never feel again, that she could possibly love again, and be loved in return.

“I had shut out any hope of feeling that way about anyone again, after losing Nate.”

“H2 was not who I would have chosen, but apparently, it’s true, we can’t choose who we fall in love with.” Nora stumbled over her last words, fall in love with.  Glory picked up on the same thing and asked the question.

“Charmer, are you saying you’re in love with H2?”

Nora, couldn’t answer the question. It was insanity to think that you could love someone after only knowing them for one day. Right?

“No, Glory that would be crazy” Glory eyed her carefully, and shook her head.

“I call bullshit” she laughed. Nora blushed,

“Glory I can’t be in love with him already, but the fact that I might be is a revelation in itself, cause it means that I am open to love again and I might be able to put my past behind me and find some happiness.”

Glory sighed and looked Nora in the eyes. “Charmer, I think you need to at least be honest with yourself, how do you really feel about H2?”

“Look I get what your trying to do, but I can’t answer that yet, my mind is a jumble of thoughts. I need to get back to Ticonderoga and see if this is all in my imagination or if this is the real thing.” Glory hugged Charmer and wished her luck.

“Be careful, though don’t let anyone catch wind of this.” Nora shook her head in agreement.

“I will run interference here if necessary.” “Thank you Glory, I do need to let Deacon know, he is my partner and he has had my back since I left the vault, this would destroy him if I kept this from him.” “He already knows doll”

Deacon’s voice rang out from the stairs leading down to HQ. Nora jumped up, startled and a little embarrassed.

“How much did you hear?” it should have bothered her that he was listening in, but knowing Deacon had been shadowing her, pretty much since she left the vault she was used to it by now. He always had her best interest in mind, and would never do anything to hurt her. He had become the one person she trusted completely.

“Enough, but I am not blind and I know you better than anyone so I kind of put two and two together.”

“Dee, I am sorry, I just needed.”

“I know some girl talk”

“Yea”

“Look, doll I got your back and if this is something you need to do you know I am gonna help you with anything you need, although if you had a thing for synth’s I’m a little hurt, I didn’t make the cut.”

“Deacon how long are you gonna keep that up, you’re not a synth, and as far as the other, you’re like a brother so no.”  Deacon laughed, and gave Nora a big hug.

“you got me, I can’t get anything past you anymore.”

“Now let’s get you back to Ticonderoga.”

* * *

 

 

The trip back to Ticonderoga was not as uneventful as they had hoped. They came across a band of Supermutants and of course no trip through the commonwealth would be complete without a raider attack. Luckily Deacon and Nora had become a well-oiled machine, and could dispatch the groups with just some scrapes. Nora took a pretty good hit, that Deacon thought might be the end, but with a stimpack and little time to breath she was up on her feet, just a little slower than usual.

“thought I lost you there Charmer”

“Thought you did too, but I don’t go down that easy.”

“no kidding! you need to rest some more or you good to go?”

“I need to get back to H2, let’s get moving while we still have daylight.”

She was limping, and pretty bruised and bloody, under any other circumstances she would have been exhausted and just wanted to clean up and collapse in a bed somewhere, but she wanted to see him more. The sun was just setting when they reached the safe house and entered the elevator, Deacon was still fussing over her, but all she could focus on was seeing him again. She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and the fact that she looked like a complete disaster, he was waiting for her just a few floors up.


	3. It's In His Kiss

She walked in to a flurry of people, most of them were fellow Railroad agents, then it hit her that Ticonderoga was a place where agents could stop and rest, relax, and pick up supplies.  She scanned the room for H2, but did not see him anywhere. She tried not to panic, could she have already missed him. She was gone one day, Highrise couldn’t have moved him that fast.  Deacon stopped to talk to a couple agents he obviously knew, so Nora made her way through all the people and checked in a couple of the rooms and still could not see him. Panic started to rise in Nora’s chest.  She missed him, she sat in a chair and tried to get her thoughts together. She needed to find Highrise and ask him about H2. She stood up to look for him and then she felt a hand on her shoulder and that familiar zing.  She turned around and there her was smiling at her and looking so handsome.  “Nora, you came back.” Nora almost cried, but all she could do was walk up to him and hug him closely. He hugged her just as closely, and for the first time since she entered Vault 111, Nora felt whole. She would always feel the void that losing Shaun had left, but she hoped to fill that soon when she found him, and brought him home.  For now, this was the closest she could get. If she could have H2 with her just like this, that would make her happier than she had been since exiting the Vault.   

Nora knew she couldn’t stand there like that for too long, it would start to seem strange, and she couldn’t arouse any suspicion that there was anything going on, so she quickly withdrew from the embrace and saw that H2’s face mirrored her own disappointment from breaking contact.  H2 asked if she was upset or if he did something wrong. “Nora I am sorry if I upset you or did something wrong, I only know that when I am close to you or when I can hold you, I feel safe.” Nora smiled and stifled a giggle, only because she knew he was being honest. “Nora I waited for you, and when I thought you wouldn’t come back I felt hopeless.” She let a tear slip down her cheek, she could no longer deny what was happening or what she was feeling, and as he stood there telling her he felt helpless without her, she knew that in his way he felt it too. 

The tears were coming faster now, and H2 took her face in his hands and with his thumbs gently wiped the tears from her face.

“Nora, I am so sorry I upset you, tell me what I did to upset you and I promise I won’t ever do it again.”

She took his hand and tried to find a quiet place where they could talk and not be overheard or seen.  She took him down through a hole in the floor, to the floor below them.  Once she felt they were out of ear shot, she took H2’s hands and told him.  “H2, you have not done anything wrong, I am sorry to make you feel that way.”

 He smiled a bit then. “H2 you have made me so happy, just being near you makes me feel hopeful, and you are wonderful.”  He took her hand and kissed the back of it. Her skin prickled at the contact, and her breath caught at the unexpected contact.  H2 noticed her reaction and if is he had suddenly become someone else in that moment he took her chin in his hand and tilted her head and his lips descended on hers, before she could register the movement he was kissing her.  She meant to protest, but couldn’t think of any reason not to give into the sensation of his warm lips on hers. The kiss was hesitant as first, but quickly grew more intense as H2’s confidence grew. Nora, moaned into his mouth, and he moved his hand around the back of her neck, and deepened the kiss. 

She couldn’t believe this was happening and much less that he kissed her first. How did he even know about kissing? She had to stop this, before it got out of hand. The kiss was getting more frenzied with each second, her hands made their way to his chest and his other hand was inching down to cover her ass. She stepped back, and took a breath.

“Nora, why did you stop, I thought you would like me to kiss you?”

“I did like you kissing me, I loved it. I want you to kiss me, but this is not the right place.” 

“H2 have you kissed anyone before?”  He blushed a little and said

“Yes, her name was Grace, she was a scientist for the institute”

The revelation was shocking to say the least, but she figured it made sense he was built to act human, so why wouldn’t he have found someone else attractive.  She wondered why she was surprised and then she thought about it, he seemed so innocent and lost at the church when they first met, she assumed he had no human experiences. She also admitted that she kind of hoped she was the first one to spark those feelings in him. She wanted to know more so she asked him to tell her about Grace. Nora secretly wanted to make sure that Grace was in the past. 

“H2 tell me about Grace.”

H2 got very nervous and his face began to blush. He seemed hesitant, so she took his hand. She gently caressed his cheek with her hand. “H2 it’s okay, you can tell me anything.”  He relaxed a little more then and began to talk.

“She was a junior scientist in the Bioscience division, we meet in the cafeteria and started talking over lunch.”

“She was very pretty and made me feel comfortable, so we had lunch together more, and more.”

“Then we would meet after work, and talk.” He got nervous, I looked at him and smiled and shook my head. So, he continued.

“One night we were sitting in a quite alcove talking, and she took my hand and told me that she really liked me, I told her she was a good friend and I thanked her for being so nice to me.”

“She asked if I wanted to be more than friends and I felt shy, because I didn’t know what that meant.”

H2 was embarrassed and held her hand tighter, she told him he didn’t have to continue, that she understood if it was too difficult. H2 sat up straighter placed his hand on her cheek, and said “if you can risk your life to save me, I can certainly open up and tell you about my life, as difficult as some of it is.” H2 leaned in and kissed her again, this time it was gentle and sweet, but with a promise of more. Then he continued telling her about Grace.

“Once Grace explained what she meant, I was excited that she thought about me that way, and I thought that this is how relationships begin, as friends and then you become more. So, I agreed and she smiled and kissed me.”

“I was so scared cause I had no idea what I was doing and how to react, so she helped me and told me what to do.” 

Nora smiled a bit, it must have been cute to see him experience his first kiss, she tried to remember hers, it was awkward, but it was a first for her and boyfriend so they were both awkward. H2 was kissing someone experienced so Nora was sure he was nervous and must have been adorable.

“Once I figured out what as doing, I enjoyed it, and wanted to do it more.” Nora felt her face flush and her stomach knot, she knew it was irrational, but she was jealous and hurt that she wasn’t the one to show him all of that and share in his excitement of learning all about it.  H2 sensed she was bothered and asked her if she was alright.  Nora tried to look uninterested, but he saw it in her eyes.”

“Nora, I don’t want my story to hurt you.”

“H2 you’re not hurting me. Sometimes women get a little jealous is all.”

H2 immediately took Nora into his arms and just held her. If she was being honest, it was what she desperately needed in that moment. She wasn’t sure what happened between H2 and Grace, but right now it was her he was holding, it was her he was kissing. That was enough to calm her distress. She looked up at him, and smiled. She told him to finish his story. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

H2 continued,” Grace and I saw each other every chance we got. We both knew that we were not supposed to be together, outside of work, but we really wanted to spend time together.” 

“She is the reason I ran from the institute”

Nora was stunned, at the admission, how could she be the reason he ran away, did he love her? Did he want to spare her from getting in trouble? Does he love her still? If so why is he here with her? She put a lid on all the thoughts and feelings that were racing through her head.

“How could she be the reason?”

“She and I were spending too much together, and people were starting to get suspicious, so she came to me late one night in my room and woke me up.”

“I was scared, that she had gotten in trouble and asked her to come in and sit down.” “I saw that she had been crying, and so I hugged her, and she told me that I needed to leave the institute.”

Nora's confusion continued to grow, but she was trying not to panic, Grace was in his quarters, what had they done in there? He continued to explain

“Grace was very upset, and she told me that a friend had told her the SRB was aware that we were spending time together and they felt that I had malfunctioned, and possibly needed to reset”

“I started to panic, she took my hand and told me not panic, everything happened so fast, she told me that she wanted to leave with me, and that we could stay together.” H2 was talking quickly and pacing around the room.

“Grace told me she loved me and that we could get married.”

Nora gasped and felt the tears falling down her face. All her illusions about H2 being new to all this and her ideas that they were star crossed lovers, who found each other in all this chaos was gone. She cried for being such a fool, how could he be in love with her, he was already in love with someone else.  She couldn’t keep it in the tears were streaming down her face and she was trying to catch her breath, which she was sure had just been sucked from her lungs.  The ache in her chest wasn’t helping. 

H2 looked down at Nora and knelt in front of her and tried to wipe her face.  “Nora why are you crying?’ She tried so hard to stop and calm down, but the she saw the concern in his eyes and started all over again.

“H2 I am sorry, I will be fine, I just, I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

“From the moment, I saw you I felt pulled to you, I felt something so strong between us, and then I felt compassion for you.”

“I fell in love with you, and then you kissed me and I thought you felt the same, and now I feel like a fool.”

“You are already in love with someone else and here I am throwing myself at you like some love crazed lunatic”

H2 stood her up, wiped her tears and laid her head on his shoulder, and held her tight. She melted into his touch and wished so hard that it meant something to them both.  After a minute of standing just like that H2 pulled his head back took her face in his hands and smiled.

“Nora, I am so sorry, I am not good with people and I am not good at conversation. I say things that hurt you and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Nora, I do feel the same thing you feel, I kissed you because it is all I could think about doing from the second I saw you.”  He continued not looking away.

“I left the institute alone, Grace is not coming with me, I told her to stay.”

“I did not love her, I cared what happened to her and I wanted her to be safe, but I did not love her.”

H2 explained that he had spent hours talking to another scientist who sympathized with synths, he believed that they were real people, he even married a synth.  H2 had asked the man how he knew he was in love. They talked about it for hours and over time H2 realized that it was not love he felt for Grace, but friendship and compassion. 

Nora listened and slowly stopped crying, and H2 wiped the rest of the tears off her face with the sleeve of his coat.  She smiled up at him and he kissed her forehead, and asked if she wanted him to finish the story.  Nora nodded her head, and he continued.

“I explained to Grace how I felt, although she was sad, she understood that this was all new to me.”

“She said she had an idea that I didn’t feel that way, but she hoped. Then she told me that she knew I was capable of great love and compassion and that one day a woman, would take my breath away and, I would love her, and be happy. She said whoever she is, she is a very lucky lady.”

“She told me to find a scientist, who was sympathetic to the synths, and has helped them out in the past” 

Nora had an idea that there was someone on the inside who was helping the synths there had to be. She just had no idea who, Dez had even mentioned someone code named Patriot.  She didn’t want to interrupt H2 so she decided she would talk to Deacon about it later.

H2 continued “Grace was desperate for me to leave right away, as she feared that I would be reset the very next day, I hugged her, and asked if she was going to be okay, and she assured me she would be fine, and not to worry about her.”

“I just left my room, went to find the man she was telling me about and he said he could help me get to the surface, and that once I was there to ask people about how to find the Railroad.”

“He wasn’t even sure they existed, but he had heard rumors and that is what he told all the escaping synths to do.”

“Find a place called Bunker Hill, and find the Railroad.”

H2 continued to explain his journey to the surface, finding his way to Bunker Hill, meeting Old Man Stockton, and then waiting for an agent to get him somewhere safe. Nora was so impressed with his determination to survive and escape.  “You went through all that to avoid losing who you are, I am so proud of you.”  H2 leaned in and slowly kissed her, taking his time. He held her tighter and deepened the kiss, he ran his tongue along her lips, and she opened her lips and the kiss grew more intense, as she got the chance to taste him, she enjoyed the taste that was all him, the man who stole her heart H2-22.

She was so lost in the moment she didn’t hear herself moan with desire. H2 stopped and smiled, she looked at him and asked why he stopped.

“Nora, I have only just met you, I don’t know anything about you, what I do know is I have never wanted to be close to anyone the way I always want to be close to you.”  

“I don’t know if we have known each other long enough to be in love, but I can’t ignore what I am feeling. I feel more alive here with you than I ever had.”

“All the danger I faced to get here, and any danger I have to face in the future is all worth it to be here holding you, kissing you.”

 He peppered her face with tiny kisses and they both stood there holding onto each other, as if their lives depended on it.  As far as Nora was concerned it did.

 

 


	4. When Two Become One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> H2 and Nora, finally get to know everything about each other & I mean everything!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, computer died, and needed to be fixed which took longer than I realized. I hope to finish this up soon, and the chapters will be coming more frequently. Also a warning, that this is my first fanfic, so it is also my first crack at writing any kind of smutty stuff, so hopefully it is not terrible.

 

They stood there wrapped in each other’s arms not ever wanting to separate. H2 continued to reassure her.

 “Nora, don’t ever doubt how I feel about you. It seems crazy I agree, but we both feel it and it feels more real than anything I have ever felt, in my limited experience I guess that probably does not mean much.”

Nora looked at him, and told him his experience little or otherwise was irrelevant, all that mattered was what his heart was telling him. She leaned up to kiss him, and they melted into each other. Nora was so intoxicated with kissing this man. She tried to think back to when she had first met Nate, was it like this, did he short circuit all her brain functions. This train of thought was derailed when she felt his hand moving its way up her waist and was dangerously close to cupping her breast. They were certainly not where anyone could see them, but it wasn’t private by any means. Nora hated to break the contact, but this was a disaster waiting to happen. 

“H2, we can’t do this, I mean not here. If anyone sees us, it will be very bad.”

“It looks pretty good from where I am standing.”  Deacon had found them and as usual was waiting in the shadows.

“How long have you been there, Dee?”

“Long enough to know if I had come down here a few minutes later, I would have walked into a whole other kind of show.”  Nora shot him a nasty glare and he snickered. Dee, you are an ass, but you are my ass.

“Charmer, there is no way you two are going to have any privacy here, I mean I found you, you’re lucky it was me this time, I mean it could have been anyone who wandered down here.”

Nora knew Deacon was right, and when she looked up at H2, that was all she wanted was to be alone with him, somewhere they would be safe from prying eyes, and could enjoy just being together, and trying to figure out what their next move was going to be. H2 was not going to be moved out of the Commonwealth, and he certainly was not getting his mind wiped. 

“H2 I need a few minutes with Deacon to try to come up with a plan. I will be over there, stay here.” Nora kissed him quickly, he tried to drag out the kiss, but Nora broke away to talk to Deacon.

Nora knew she needed to get H2 out of the safe house, if they wanted any time alone, and based on the way he just kissed her, she definitely wanted to be alone with H2.

“Deacon, what are you thinking?”

“Do the minutemen have any settlements nearby, because that would make the most sense.” Nora started working the problem in her head, the Castle would be the best, but it was too far away, there were no settlements close, there was Goodneighbor, but too many people pass through there. She was starting to lose hope.

Nora and Deacon plotted the quickest route to the Castle, they knew it was at least a two-day walk, so there had to be somewhere safe to camp for at least one night.  Deacon looked at the map on her pip-boy and had an idea.

“Hey you still in good with the Mayor of Goodneighbor?”

 “Yea, Hancock owes me one after the mess I cleaned up with Bobby”

“Looks like you can make pretty good time from here to Goodneighbor, crash there and make it to the Castle day after tomorrow. Hancock can help keep people from finding you there.”

“Deacon you’re a genius, I could kiss you.”

“Woah, Charmer easy there doll, I think you have had enough kissing for today.”

“How about a big hug.”  Nora punched his arm and then hugged him. It was time to go if they wanted to make Goodneighbor before it got any darker out. Travelling at night was necessary sometime, but a bad Idea.  She wanted to keep H2 as safe as possible, but they had to move.  Nora went over to H2 to brief him on the plan.

Nora, and Deacon decided that it was too tough to try to move him, without alerting anyone, after going back and forth for what seemed like forever, Nora finally had enough.

“H2, I need you to tell me what you want, do you want to stick with the Railroad, wait here and eventually be moved out of the Commonwealth?”

H2 looked stricken, “how could you ask me that?” He moved to where she was and placed his hands on her shoulders and meets her eyes. “After everything, you still think I would want to move on? I am not leaving your side, ever.” Nora’s heart swelled and she kissed H2 as a tear escaped down her cheek.

“H2, I had to be sure about what you wanted, everyone has made your decisions for you, I had to be sure that you made this decision for yourself.”  Nora knew this was not going to be easy, she had formulated a plan in her head, asked H2 if he trusted her and was willing to do whatever was necessary to be together, and he agreed.

“Dee, I am just going to explain the situation to Highrise and we are going to walk out if here together.”

Deacon felt his jaw hit the floor, she had lost her mind. There was no way that Dez was going to let this slide.

“Pick your jaw up, I can protect him just as well as the Railroad can, better actually I have an entire militia at my disposal and an impregnable fortress where we can stay and be safe.” Deacon started to see reason, but knew no amount of reasoning would satisfy Dez.  The trick was to move fast, to get them to the Castle, before Dez could act. Deacon knew that once they were in the Castle they would be safe. 

 “H2, we are getting out of here, I am going to take you with me somewhere we will be safe while we plan our next move.” “You sure you want to leave with me?” “It will be a dangerous journey.”

“Nora, I will risk everything for the chance to be near you.”  Nora’s heart melted, that is exactly what she was hoping he would say.  She had started to trust what was growing between them, and felt less nervous about how he may feel about her. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her hands off him, she just wanted to feel him, be close to him, and she found herself very excited about the idea of being alone with him in Goodneighbor. There was still a part of her that registered that this was insane. She had just laid eyes on this man forty-eight hours ago, and now she was fantasizing about being alone with him in a hotel room. Nora was starting to get better at not assigning pre-war standards to her life now.  In the Commonwealth life was fleeting, you had to take you happiness and pleasures where you could find it. Tomorrow was not promised.  Pre-war Nora dated Nate for 2 weeks before she would let him kiss her. She made him wait a full three months before they slept together. In post apocalypse Commonwealth time is different, and she wasn’t going to waste a second.  Nora walked over to H2 and wrapped her arms around him, and buried her head into his shoulder.  His arms instinctively wrapped around her and held her tightly. She had to laugh at this simple act of hugging him made her heart pound, her body heat up. Would it always be like this for them, are they one of those couples for whom the passion never dies. She hoped so, because she could easily become addicted to the feelings he gave her.

“Nora, all I can think about is how much I want to be alone with you.”  She smiled into his shoulder

“I am not familiar with intimacy and I am nervous you will not be happy, with my lack of experience.”

“H2 you do not need experience, you just need to follow your heart and your instincts, everyone is new to this their first time, but we learned and you will too. How could I ever be unhappy with you, you make me feel things I never imagined I could feel.”  H2 crushed his mouth on hers and kissed her roughly and let his hands wander all over her, they finally rested on her hips and she felt him grind into her, and moaned loudly as she felt the evidence of his excitement which from what she could feel through layers of clothing was impressive.  H2 moved his hand slowly up her side and as his fingers brushed the side of her breast she moaned even louder and she pressed herself into him harder.

Nora was coming undone, this was too much she needed to stop this before it got out of control, she was so needy and wanted to unzip his pants and take care of the ache she was feeling between her legs.  She thought better of it though, this was going to be his first time and it couldn’t be with her bent over the couch and them acting like animals.  That didn’t mean that she didn’t like the idea of him bending her over and take her like an animal, she would ease him into that kind of thing. She gave herself a mental kick and began to plan her next move.

She and Deacon decided it was best to let Highrise know where that they were leaving and hope that by the time he reported to Dez, they would be safely at the Castle. Deacon left to find Highrise to try to smooth things over and make their exit clean.  Nora, was a little worried about what this might do to her working relationship with the Railroad, but was hoping they saw her value and would eventually look past all this and help her deal with the Institute.  She realized however that she didn’t need the Railroad she had her Minutemen and she still had contacts with the Brotherhood, so if Dez cut ties with her she would still have plenty of people to help her. It was at this moment Nora realized that in a very crazy way, she had built a new life with friends and family that she could count on.  She felt content, then she looked at H2 and knew she had love in her life again.  All she needed now was Shaun and her life would be complete.  

Deacon returned and told Nora to take H2 and make our way out of the safe house. 

“I told Highrise, you and I were taking him to the Castle and that I would contact Dez, hopefully that buys us a little time. Highrise was suspicious, but I told him not to worry, I know him he will contact Dez to clear this up. He is a by the book kind of guy.”

“I just need two days, we can make Goodneighboor by tonight and the Castle the next day if we stick to the outskirts of the major towns and settlements.”

The three of them their made our way to the elevator, and out of the building without any incident.  They made it across the river, in good time.  They got into a few skirmishes along the way, but nothing the three of them couldn’t handle, once they reached Goodneighbor they made their way to the hotel Rexford, and got two rooms. Deacon winked and went up to his room with a snicker.

“Charmer, don’t scar the poor man, take it easy on him, it is his first time,”  Nora slapped his arm and told him to get lost, they would meet up in the morning to move out.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Once H2 and Nora were alone in their room H2 looked nervously at the bed and then at Nora, he was nervous and scared, but wanted this to happen wanted to be with her. Nora sensed his apprehension and said.  “H2 nothing is going to happen here tonight, that you don’t want. You can even go bunk with Deacon if you want. H2 looked over to her and walked closer to her, and stopped short and with his head down and his cheeks flushed said,

“I really don't how to do this. Or how to say this.”

“What is it H2?”

“I have no experience with anything like this.  Every time I'm around you.  I can't think, about anything else!” he shook his head in exasperation as he turned around and threw his hands up in the air. It started a fire in Nora when she sensed how passionate he was”

“I feel the same way.” She moved forward, to calm him.

“He turned back towards her again and his voice dropped to a hushed whisper. “Being near you makes me so happy, I don’t want anything to keep us apart, Not ever. I don't know if it is okay to say this or if I will scare you, but from what little I know and what I learned from Dr. Binet I realized that I love you.”

“You love me?”  He nodded silently.

“H2, I love you too.”

Nora had known it almost since they met, known that she loved him despite how completely crazy it was. It was empathy that she felt first, then happiness, and finally passion and contentment. It was evident in her smile, and on her face, and then taking over her whole body. As she said the words she had been dying to say, he took both of her hands and pressed his lips tightly to the backs of the fingers before looking up to her and making her knees go weak. A sudden look of nervousness spread across his face, then she saw what looked like determination showed in his eyes. Then there was something else and Nora couldn’t have believed a synth was capable of level of desire that she saw in his eyes.  H2 stuttered his next words.

“I want to spend to the night with you. Here, before we leave for the Castle. The Commonwealth is uncertain and bad things can happen, I don’t want to waste a minute of the time I have with you.  I don't know anything about intimacy with a woman, but … I know what I feel for you and I know I want to be with you.”

“You want, us to be together? Are you sure?” Nora’s heart was hammering in her chest. She wanted this, So badly.

“I wanted to wait for it to be a nicer place … but I have noticed that here in the Commonwealth we have to take the chances when they come, there may never be a good time or a perfect place. If things were different who knows if we would be here together, we may not have ever met.” His beautiful eyes shone with excitement and It made her head spin. He moved to stand inches away from her, still holding the backs of her fingers. His body now softly pressed his lips against her fingers and Nora felt weak. “We were lucky enough to have been thrown in each other’s path …, and, I started to feel all these feelings that were new to me and I felt myself falling for you in spite all the fighting and everything else that is happening around us.”

He leaned in to kiss her, gently. His hands on either side of her face, as he lifted his head up, his thumb gently brushed her cheek. He looked sweetly nervous as he stared into her eyes.

“I really don’t want to wait. I’ve never done this before.” he said sweetly. “I want it to be with you, while we have the chance. In case …”

And then she cut him off. Nora couldn’t stand it any longer. H2 stood mere inches from her, loving her, wanting her. Nora’s arms went around his neck and she pulled him to her, kissing him as deeply as she could. This had built up after days of tension. At the end of the day, he was the man that had appeared out of nowhere, the man that erased her past and ignited a passion she thought died with Nate. She loved him with a passion that she could feel growing with each passing moment so she stayed kissing him, with everything she had.  Eventually she broke off.

There was no need for wordy replies just one word “Yes.” she whispered excitedly. She stared up at him, with excitement at what they were going to do.

“What do I do now? Do I take my clothes off?” he asked shyly, his voice betraying his inexperience, he was obviously unsure about what to do.

“No. kiss me again. Then we let nature take its course.” She told him, trying to keep her crazed libido in check. This was going to happen and it was going to happen here, tonight.

Nora kissed him again before he could change his mind. Her hands slid up from his face to run through his hair. She could feel his hands lay on her hips, gently exploring. He pulled her into him as the kiss deepened. Her hand was shaking as it, found the back of his head and she dragged him towards her, eager to keep him close. She was so scared he was going to change his mind and run out of the door.

He broke the kiss and from his heavy breathing, she could tell he was letting his passionate side take over.  Kissing her again, more passionately and uncontrolled this time, he walked her back towards the wall where she was pressed up against it, kept from moving by his tall and strong body pressed up against hers. Faster and faster the kisses came.

“Okay, hold that though a moment.” she laughed, pushing him back a little. A nervous smile crossed Nora’s lips as she found the buttons of his jacket.  Her shaking fingers had trouble with them but eventually she managed to undo them all. Her hands slid up underneath the sides and up his hard chest. Nora pushed the jacket off his arms, feeling the firm muscles underneath the cotton shirt. Her heart hammered against her chest as, she kept his eyes steadily and pulled the shirt over his head. He helped her slightly but never let his eyes move from hers once. She saw his chest and it was as wonderful as she thought it would be. Staring at it, she ran one hand down it. Grasping her upper arms and running his hands lightly up and down them caused her to shiver all over. Her hand laid flat on his chest and she tentatively put her lips to his skin, gently kissing his chest.

Looking at him, she knew this was it. she felt his hands find the zipper on her vault suit. Shrugging her arms out of the suit, she let him unclothe her, pulling the suit down and off her feet carefully and leaving it on the floor. Nora stood before him in her underwear. She stood there before him, barely clothed. She had never any reason to feel afraid because of it, but now as she stood there, both grown adults, she realized that they were about to do something he had never done before. She was experienced, but somehow here with him she felt like this was her first time as well.  Maybe it was she thought, wasn’t her old life over, this was her new life in a new place with a new man, so this would be a first for them both. 

She unhooked her bra and dropped it to the floor, and she slid her underwear to the floor. Standing straight, she was completely naked in front of him. She leaned back against the wall for support. H2 swallowed as he looked at her, standing slightly back to look her up and down. His chest heaved up and down as his eyes traveled over her body. She took the chance to admire him. He was as handsome and sexy as she could have hoped for, she felt her knees turn weak.

“Nora,” he whispered, lust in his voice, “I can’t believe you are mine, I want you to be mine and only mine?”

“Yes.” She said in a voice she barely recognized, driven by desire for this man, feeling her heart take over her voice. “And you? are you sure about this. I know this is a lot to take in, and everything is happening so quickly.” “Do you really want me?”

“Yes, forever.” he said before kissing her passionately.

She pushed him forward as she kissed him, guiding him towards the bed. His hands snaked over her naked body. She felt him as he picked her up and hugged her tighter to him. they walked across the room towards the bed, kissing as he carried her. He placed her gently on the bed before climbing on top of her. Laying there underneath H2, she felt the full weight of him surrounding her, it was pure bliss.

She tilted her head to the side exposing her neck, and he needed no coaching or help he kissed his way down her jaw to her exposed neck, and his hot breath sent a jolt shooting all over her body, straight to her core and she felt moisture pooling at her center.  He looked up at her. There was a nervousness in his eyes as he looked from her to my breasts. She knew what he wanted.

“Give me your hand.”  to which he eagerly complied. His free hand was placed into hers and she took it, placed the palm on the waiting flesh of her breast, her own warm hand covering his. A long breath exhaled from him as he looked intently at his hands and what lay underneath. As he caressed them gently, running his hand over the soft skin, he brought his thumb up to play with her nipple. His thumb was teasing her. It sent shots of heat through her whole body.  Gently he bent his head down to catch one in his teeth, causing me to writhe slightly under him.

“Oh.” she cried softly. “Again.”

H2 obliged and, undone, she felt herself wrap her thigh around his waist. Her hands once again found his face and she kissed him deeply. His hands traveled up and down her skin, and as he did, he started to push into her with his hips.

“You need far fewer clothes for that, my love.” She whispered to him, still brushing his jaw with her fingers.

“Am I doing something wrong?” he stuttered

“H2 you could not do anything wrong, but for this to work we need to get you out of those clothes. Specifically, those pants need to go.”  She said as she boldly slipped a hand into his trousers.

She wasn't sure what to expect, was it going to be good or bad, but as her hand wrapped around a large and very hard cock, her eyes widened in surprise at the size of it. He shivered slightly at her touch but he soon moaned with pleasure into her neck. 

“This is going to be wonderful for both us.” Nora smiled coyly

“So, I am adequate, for this?”

“That is one way of putting it. You are more than that, you are perfect.”

“On your back.” Nora asked him sweetly.

He rolled over on the large bed and she rolled up onto him. His hands found her quickly and pulled her back down towards his warm body. After kissing him again, she moved backwards and started to unbutton the front of his pants. Eyeing over the handsome man lying on the bed and looking at her with pure, intent lust, she felt like the only woman in the world.

She pulled the tops of his pants and underwear down, prompting him to lift his back and reveal what she was going to enjoy tonight. The pants were removed entirely and H2 was now naked. Dropping the clothes on the floor at the end of the bed, she climbed back on the bed to get a good look. She was not proud to say that as she gazed at his swollen cock, her mouth dropped open slightly in surprise at the greatness of it. Clearing her throat, she looked back to catch his nervous look.

“Are you sure it is … okay?” he asked again.

She bit her lip with a shocked smile. Quietly she nodded her head as she looked again.

“Very.”  She said her voice hitching in her throat.

Laying across him, his fingers already starting playing on her back and guiding her back to his face, she could feel his cock pressed against her stomach and she had to move herself slightly for comfort. She starting kissing him with all her passion, as he let his hands explore her back, her shoulders, the swell of her bottom. They rested there as he kissed her more but as they went on, they travelled back up to her hair.

Her breasts were tingling with anticipation, as was her whole body. All over there was a growing heat between them as they kissed passionately and then kissed some more. There was a new kind of tension growing between her legs as her heart continued to beat loudly. Lust and love were driving her desire to have him was increasing to a level she had never experienced.

“I want you.” she moaned as he kissed her.

“I am right here.” he replied sweetly, not knowing in the least what she meant.

“No, I want you, H2. Now.”

“Oh, okay!” he smiled softly as he realized what she meant.

She told him to roll them so that she was underneath him, so he rolled her onto her back, slipping his hands under her shoulders as he continued to kiss her. She could feel the head of his cock between her legs and her center pulsed with anticipation. Reaching down, she guided him to the spot he needed.

“There?” came the gentle question as he looked deep into her eyes.

“Mm-mmm.” Nora stuttered, unable to talk, her arms wrapping around his back.

“I love you.” he moaned into her ear as he kissed her. “Do you love me?”

“I love you H2, always.”

With one great push from his hips, he was inside her hot center. Her back arched as he did so and her breasts were squeezed against his chest. She cried out at the sensation as he seemed to stretch her in ways that were both painful and infinitely wonderful at the same time. He groaned with pleasure into her neck as he felt me tighten around him.

“H2, you okay?”

“Nora, this is the most amazing feeling I have ever felt, you are so warm and soft down there and it feels so tight, and wet. I want to stay here just like this forever.”

“Well as wonderful as that sound, and as good as you feel right now, I promise it gets better. Let your instincts take over, do what feels right, you can’t hurt me I promise.”

He pulled out a little before pushing back into her. Sweet pain caused a tear to form in her eye and it fell down the side of her face. There was tenderness there as he kissed her lips before sliding in and out.

 Again, and again he did it, each time new sensations were overtaking her body and hitting places she didn't even know were inside her. How could this be happening; how could it be this wonderful. She couldn’t ever remember it being this good with Nate, ever!  H2 was doing things and touching places she had never felt before.

A tightening was growing between her legs and with it, the most amazing feelings. In, out, in, out, in, out, in, out. He seemed to fit her so well, his cock hitting all the places that she needed. Breathing was coming short and ragged now as lust and pace were building, from both.

Nora, realized that something primal, must have taken over in H2, he was no longer a shy inexperienced boy, but a carnal, man. He took her harder and faster with each thrust. He looked down at her and she saw the need in his eyes, the passion and the desire to have her, possess her, devour her.

Faster and faster he moved, unable to control himself any longer. The great swell of pleasure was building and building – in, out, in, out, faster, faster. Pounding into her, she could hear him start to grunt like an animal into her neck. “H2, just like that… oh, please … more ...more” He thrust harder and faster, the sounds he was making were pure heaven, passionate moans, mixed with animalistic grunts. His hand found their way down to her center, and she grabbed on and showed him how to pleasure her and when he found her clit and began to rub, it sent her screaming, he rubbed harder when he realized the reaction he got from her, and he felt her tighten around him even more, he didn’t think it could feel better.

“H2 yes!” she yelled as the pressure between her legs finally broke.

Waves of unbelievable pleasure rushed through her body. She squeezed her eyes shut against the sheer force of it. He cried out into her neck as he came inside her, moments later. She could still feel the wild abandon with which he pushed into her, desperate groans of pleasure hot against her neck. The last tremors of intense orgasms swept across them both.  Slowly, slowly, he came down and gradually stopped pushing into her.

“Nora, I love you.” he panted raggedly, kissing her deeply. “that was amazing! You are amazing! Everything was amazing! I love you.” She giggled, at his childlike reaction and excitement.

He slipped out of her and laid down on the mattress next to her, his arm draped over her and still taking deep breaths to calm down. She was no more composed than he was and was riding the aftershocks from what had just happened.

H2 dragged the blanket up to cover them. He didn't know about her but he was starting to feel tired. Here he was, snuggled into the bare and naked body of the woman he had just had passionate sex with. He didn't care that they were running from the Institute and possibly the Railroad, or that they were living in a very dangerous place that could kill them at any moment. They had just removed any worry for tonight. All he cared about was the beautiful, passionate, woman that lay next to his warm body. In fact, He didn't just care about her. he loved her and she loved him. This was worth everything he had suffered to get here, leaving the Institute was the best thing he has ever done. 

He was going to love being in the Commonwealth if it meant being with Nora every day, and like this every night. With that thought forming a smile onto his lips, He gradually felt the exhaustion and release of what they had done claim his mind. Sleep was taking over and he felt my eyelids gently close.

Nora, laid there sleepily thinking, that had been married to Nate for two years, and they had many passionate evenings together, and she would have said he was the best lover she had ever had, until tonight.  What had just happened was the best sex she had ever had, she felt things she had never felt. The connection was so intense between them, and it came through in their lovemaking.  She laid there pressed up against him and realized that this was why she survived, and why she was in the Commonwealth. To be with this man. She closed her eyes and thought, for the first time in a long time, she was happy.


	5. What a Difference a Day Makes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora finally, finds out the fate of H2-22 and their future together. Deacon is there to cheer her up and help her find the strength to face what comes next.

Nora, and H2 awoke two more times, throughout the night and made love, before finally being overcome by exhaustion, and falling into a deep sleep. When she woke, the room was flooded with sunlight, and it startled her awake. What time was it, they were supposed to get an early start. She checked her pip-boy and realized it was after 9am. Deacon must be waiting downstairs, but why did he not wake her up?  
Nora rolled over to wake H2 and realized he was not there, after looking around the room she noticed that his clothes were missing as well. She started to panic, and the realized he must be downstairs with Deacon waiting for her. What she couldn’t figure out was why he didn’t wake her up. Something about the whole thing felt off. Nora jumped out of bed and felt her body protest, certain body parts were a little sore from last night’s activities and for a moment she relaxed and smiled when she thought about everything they had done together.  
After there first time. H2 grew bolder, wanting to explore Nora more, she came completely undone, once he used his mouth to make her orgasm harder then she could ever remember. She remembered the look of awe and reverence on his face when she straddled him and rode him till they both exploded in pleasure. It was the most complete she had ever felt. She finished dressing and ran down to the lobby to see Deacon waiting by the door, but he was alone. Her panic began to rise. 

“Deacon!!”

“Charmer, nice if you to join me. Figured you might need a little rest after last night. You didn’t ruin the poor guy did ya?”  
“Deacon. H2 isn’t with you?”

“I don’t swing that way doll.”

“Deacon, I am being serious he wasn’t in the room this morning when I woke up.”

“Shit. Charmer this is bad.”

“Thanks Captain Obvious.” 

Nora raced over to the desk and asked Clair if she had seen H2 or anybody else leave the hotel earlier. Clair thought and then told her “I remember a tall skinny black guy with no hair, and a leather jacket came in around 3ish this morning, but didn’t say anything to me, just went upstairs, come to think about it I never saw him leave. If he thinks he can get a free room.” Clair stopped mid-sentence and ran upstairs to find the freeloader. 

“Could it have been Highrise?”

“Charmer, I’m sorry doll it sounds like it, but she would have seen them leave together.”

“Deacon, Highrise, is smart and good at his job, he just had to wait for her to walk away for a minute. What I can’t figure out is how he got him to leave. H2 wouldn’t have just agreed to leave. They must have made up some crazy story to convince him. To leave.” 

“Nora, we need to get back to HQ and find out what is going on here and where they took him.” Nora wanted to collapse on the floor and cry, how could she be so close to finding happiness and have it snatched away. She realized that she had no time to collapse. She had to get to HQ and find him. 

Nora’s mind was snapped back to the present by the sound of Glory’s mini gun taking out a pack of feral ghouls. As they raced back to Goodneighbor, the irony of the fact that he had been right next door to her this morning was not lost on Nora. She only hoped that they would make in time, although deep down Nora felt that all this was in vain. The conversation with Desdemona was still fresh in her mind. How she could do that, how could she have Highrise sneak him out of her room, and how did he convince him to leave. Nora couldn’t understand Dez’s reasoning for taking him in the first place, why was her being with H2 such a huge problem that she wasted Railroad resources to move him without her knowing about it. Nora could protect him just as well, if not better than the Railroad, so that couldn’t be it. She worked the problem over in her mind, then she heard Deacon. 

“Charmer, were here.”

This was it, they had made it back to Goodneighbor, she stepped inside the main entrance and saw Hancock who was a little nervous about three heavily armed, well two armed and one very heavily armed Railroad agents come into his city.

“Nora, ya want to explain what’s with all the firepower, not trying to replace me are ya?” Nora, smiled and hugged her friend. “Hancock, no one and I mean no one can ever replace you.”  
I just really need to get the Memory Den; can we catch up later? I promise there will be no trouble. I am just looking for someone.” Hancock winked at her and she sprinted around the corner to her destination, but she stopped short. She was frozen to her spot, she couldn’t go in. Deacon was right behind her. 

“Nora, we just came all this way, what are you waiting for?”

“Deacon, I can’t we are too late I know it, what if I have lost him?” The tears that had been threatening to fall since the realization early this morning that he was gone, were streaming down her cheeks in waves, she could barely hold herself together anymore. Less than 12 hours ago, she was making love to H2 and looking forward to a future and now she was about to find out if she had lost him forever. They entered the Memory Den and made their way towards Dr. Amari's office, and down the stairs. As she walking into her office she saw him sitting on a couch near the door. She walked over to him and he backed away from her and scowled.

"What do you want? Who are you?"

She was too late. it was over the procedure had erased any memory of her that he had. She knew deep down that this was going to be the outcome, but now that she was facing that reality it was like a giant kick in the gut. She felt her heart breaking. Then she felt someone walk up behind her, she turned around to see Dr. Amari.

“The patient is resting right now. Were you hoping to say goodbye? I don’t advise it. He is far past remembering anything about his old life.”  
Nora was getting angrier by the second, “anything” she was not just anything they loved each other. “his old life” his old life is right here bitch, standing in front of you listening to you tell her that the love of her life does not remember her. She pushed the anger down and tried to be as calm as possible. 

“He doesn’t remember anything?”

“I’m very through, his new life started in a small homestead near Roxbury. That’s all he knows now. While you can talk to him, no amount of coaxing can reverse the process. He won’t remember you and he never will.” Nora was starting to feel her legs shaking and barely had the strength to stand, something which Deacon must have noticed also since came over and wrapped and arm around her waist and kept her upright, while she continued to try to finish the conversation.

“I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.”

“He spoke quite a bit about you before I administered the anesthetic, he seemed very emotional. I almost stopped the procedure, but the Railroad agent that brought him here came over and reminded him of the danger and H2 calmed himself, and told me to proceed. I am sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to say goodbye.” Deacon and Nora, both looked at each other, know they knew he was coerced into the procedure the big question now is why? Nora walked back over to H2 who was going by Hank now. She tried once more to talk to him, but he was a surly as before.

“Who are you? Stay back”

Nora was numb as she made her way out of the room and towards the stairs. Nora collapsed to the floor and everything that she had been holding in over the last 12 hours came out. Tears poured out and she sobbed. Deacon caught her and she lay on the floor, with her head in his arms. Deacon held her tightly and tried to let her know she wasn’t alone.

“Charmer, let it out, I’m right here.” 

Nora was sobbing and couldn’t control it, he was gone. There was nothing she could do, once more life had robbed her of a man she loved and envisioned a future with. What had she done to deserve this? She was a good person, right? Why her? She sobbed all this into Deacon’s arm and he simply rocked her back and forth and ran his hand down her hair. Deacon realized as the first tear hit his cheek that he was crying also, seeing Nora go through this was too much even for the tough guy secret agent. She was the best person he knew and she deserved everything good in life. Deacon never mistook his friendship with Nora for anything else, he simply loved her for the person she was, and wanted to see her happy. Nora had no idea how long she laid there crying and didn’t much care at that point, but knew she had to get up and move. One she lifted her head she noticed Dr. Amari sitting on the step next to her. 

“He loved you, and you two were going to be together? I thought it was strange that the agent was so determined to have him go through with the procedure.” 

“I don’t know either, but I will find out.”

“I am sorry, I should have listening to my initial instincts and waited, but H2 was so sure that I did as he asked,”

“Dr. Amari I am the one who is sorry, you got stuck in the middle of something that never should have happened and it should not have involved you.”

“Did you just say he loved me? How could you know that?” 

“He left this holotape for you. I’ll leave you alone to listen to it.” Deacon made a move to follow Dr. Amari, but Nora stopped him, “Please stay Deacon?” He sat back down and Nora loaded the holotape into her pip-boy and pressed play.

 

“The doctor said I could say goodbye. I've decided... to have the operation. I know I'll lose all my memories. I don't want you to be sad. I... I have nightmares. And this world, the SRB, being hunted. I just can't handle it. Everyone says you and I’ll be safer if I start a new life. I know we'll be happier. My only regret is I'll forget... Old Man Stockton. High Rise. And you. Looking back, before you, there's only fear. Worse than fear. But I will miss my new... friends.” 

“Doctor Amari: It's time, H2.”

“H2-22: I... uh... I love you.”

If Nora cried before then she completely fell apart now, this was it this had broken her, she was tough and had survived so much up to this point, but this was too much. They had convinced him that he was a danger to her and that but having the operation he would be saving her, and of course he would do it for her, he loved her and if losing his memories meant she would be safe he didn’t hesitate. They lied to him and destroyed her in the process. Dr. Amari came back in to the hallway “What’s your plan for moving him?” Nora looked confused, “Moving him? I’m sorry what are you talking about?”  
“I thought you were the agent sent to clear the way for him to leave?”  
“He can’t stay here, the Railroad is always saying they are about movement, that is what keeps you alive, having a recently escaped synth stay in one place too long is a death sentence for all of us.”

“HQ, said that the original route was compromised, but that they were not sure running near Lexington was a good idea either.”

Deacon pulled Nora aside, “Lexington is a no go, switchboard is crawling with synth’s we can’t go within a mile of the place, we have to chance the original route. If we go ahead and clear the route for the runner it should be safe enough to move him.” The words move him, froze Nora this was still so fresh  
“  
We have to use the original route.”

“That’s the plan I thought you people valued discretion, but fine I won’t argue. The Malden Metro Center is where you need to go. All the Gen 1’s need to be gone, understand? All of them.”

“I’m leaving H2-22 and his future in your hands once he is gone we never had this conversation, he was never here.” Those words, gnawed at Nora, “his future”, without her of course, and “was never here” in a matter of hours he will be gone forever and it will be as if he never existed. She shuddered as another bought of tears wracked her. 

“Nora, you sure you can do this doll”  
“it’s not about me it’s about him, I want him to be safe and happy. That is all I ever wanted, yesterday that meant going to the Castle and being together, now it means getting him safely out of the Commonwealth and giving him the fresh start he escaped the institute to find.” The enormity of what had transpired in 24 hours was mind blowing, this time yesterday they were leaving Ticonderoga, for the Castle, and a future together, now he has no idea who she is, and she is carving a path for him to be taken away forever. Nora couldn’t resist the urge to talk to him one last time, she walked back into the room, and squatted down on the floor in front of him. He hesitated, and she spoke

“Hank?” 

“Yea that’s me. Who are you?”

“I’m Nora, you look like someone I used to know.”

“Nora, have we met?” Nora’s heart skipped, did he remember her, she swore she saw a flash of recognition in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as she saw it.

“You, said I look familiar I thought maybe we met before is all.”

“No, we haven’t met before Hank. Look my friend and I are gonna help you get home. Sit tight here for a bit and someone will be by soon to get you and take you home okay.”

“Yea, sounds good to me I am so ready to get outta this place. Thank you for your help Nora. You’re real pretty you know that?” Nora blushed “Maybe I’ll see ya around” he smiled the smile that before was meant for her, and she started to raise up to kiss him and Deacon pulled her up and away and she realized what she was about to do and thanked him, but not before hearing him say her name, not the way he had said it earlier, but the way H2 said it low and with a hint of shyness in his voice, and she looked over and noticed he had closed his eyes and moved his head as if he was moving in to kiss her. Nora’s mind was racing, was he remembering, or was it all wishful thinking. Deacon chimed in, it’s time to go Nora, you need to leave, and you know I am right. Nora sighed, said goodbye to Hank who reached out and kissed the back of her hand, and said goodbye. With that Nora left the Memory Den and H2-22. She would make sure he had the safest route out of the Commonwealth that any synth had ever had.


	6. Alone in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora has to say goodbye, and find a way to move forward.

Nora left the Memory Den and Glory was waiting outside for her, Glory could see it written all over her face, and so she spared Nora the ordeal of telling the story and just hugged her. Nora felt like another wave of crying was coming again, but took a deep breath and told Glory about Malden, Glory laughed, and told Nora that she was headed that way next, that was her assignment, although Glory had no idea it involved H2, she was just told to clear out Malden to move a package. We can clear it together, you don’t have to do any of this alone. So, with that Nora, Deacon, and Glory left for Malden Metro Center. 

Clearing Malden, was a grueling task, Nora had never seen so many Gen 1’s in one place, then there were the feral ghouls, and just to make it interesting there were Raiders. Malden was a hot spot, and the whole time she was fighting with Deacon and Glory, she thought about how H2 never would have gotten through this and if she had to lose him, at least she could make sure he was safe. Her heart was shattered and she felt numb, which turned out to be a good way to enter a dangerous mission, she took more pleasure than normal mowing down her targets. Deacon had stopped her at one point to ask if she was okay, he said she looked particularly menacing.

“Deacon, would you rather, ask them nicely if they mind me killing them?”

Deacon took the hint, and continued to follow her quietly. Nora was not going to let anything happen to H2, she started thinking about where he might end up, and what kind of person he would become, she got lost in the thought and then it hit her. He would eventually meet someone, and fall in love and, whoosh a bullet came rushing past her ear, and she felt Deacon shove her to the ground. 

“Charmer, what the hell happened, that shot missed you by inches, where were you?” Nora realized just how close that was and realized she was lucky to be alive, and that Deacon needed to get off her so she could breath.

“The bullet missed but if you don’t get off me, I will die from lack of oxygen.” 

“Glad to see your sense of humor is still intact, what happened?”

“Deacon, I am sorry I screwed up and got distracted, I’m sorry.”

“Charmer, you have just been through something traumatic, it’s going to take time, and you coming here to kill everything you see may have sounded like a great idea, but I see things you don’t. Like the fact that you’re not yourself right now, and your taking unnecessary risks. I know your hurt, but I would hate to see you throw your life away.”

“Deacon, I promise I will be more careful. I just need to get through this and get back to Sanctuary and take some time. Thank you for being my rock.”

“Charmer, you are the best thing that has happened to the Railroad and to me, I haven’t trusted or cared about someone in a very long time. And I am not going to let anything happen to you.”  
Glory laughed, “are you two done, I mean I can kill everything here if I have too, but I thought you might want to get a shot or two in.”  
Nora and Deacon got up, and cleared the rest of Malden with Glory and when they left Glory asked Nora what her next move was. “So back to Goodneighbor?” 

“No, I guarantee that Dez made sure H2 is gone already, he won’t be there when we get back. I said my goodbyes no sense in dragging that out, it’s not helpful. Nope my next stop is HQ, Dez and I have some things to discuss.” There was no doubt in Glory or Deacons mod that there would be fireworks at HQ once Charmer got there. The trio started the long trip back to HQ, Nora dreaded the trip, because it was a lot of down time with nothing to do but think. Her friends tried to distract her, but it was not working, she watched the sunset and felt the dark closing in on her. She was alone, yes, she had friends and people she could count on, but at the end of the day when she crawled into whatever bed she was sleeping in that night she was alone. No one to hold or curl up to, no one to talk to as she fell asleep. No one to kiss, make love with, she was alone. She had been lucky to have found Nate and fall in love and have a family, then it was ripped away, and then by some stroke of luck she found H2 and with him she had real love in her life for a second time, and now here she was alone again, she knew finding H2 had been a miracle. One that she was certain would not happen for a third time. No, she was on her own from this point forward. The only thing that kept her moving forward and pushing on was Shaun. Her son was still out there, the Institute had him and she need a way in so that was her next and only mission get into the institute and find her son, at least then she would have him, and she would not be totally alone. 

Nora arrived back at HQ tired and broken, but determined to get to the bottom of this. 

“DESDEMONA” Nora shouted over all the people and the noise. It got so quiet you could hear people breathing. Dez looked up from the table with the map she was examining. 

“Charmer, I assume everything went well with Malden? We have to get started on your infiltration into the institute as soon as you are rested.” 

“Is that why you did it? So, nothing would distract me from your mission. Look around you, all these people are here risking their lives to save synths, cause it’s the right thing to do. I look and I see people with hopes and dreams that exist outside of their work here. It doesn’t distract them or keep them from giving one hundred percent to this cause. You look and see pawns, pieces you move around to achieve a goal. I realized something through this ordeal. You would sacrifice any of us here if it meant stopping the institute. That’s a slippery slope, where does it end, is saving synths and stopping the institute so important that humanity no longer matters to you. What you did, forcing H2 to have the mind wipe, makes you no better than the institute. Maybe you didn’t physically hold him down. But manipulation is the same thing. Dr. Amari heard the conversation between the agent and H2 so she was hesitant to perform the procedure, but H2 convinced her he wanted it, because he thought I was in danger. You took away his free will and ignored what he wanted and manipulated the situation to fit your agenda. How is that any different than the Institute treating synths as machines with no feelings? Making them do whatever the Institute wants.”

“This is war and in war there are.” Nora cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

“So, help me Dez if you say in war there are sacrifices or some bullshit about the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one I will choke you, HE WAS A PERSON DAMN IT.” Nora slammed the table. “He wanted to stay and be with me, he made that choice as a free-thinking person, and you came in and took that away from him from us. Look you have done what you have done, but it is a small victory, and spare me the final hypocrisy of your explanations, there is no way for you to justify your actions as anything more than pure selfishness.” Tears were streaming now she could no longer hold them in. 

“Go, go ahead and continue to plan your moves, arrange your pawns, move them as you need them, you have destroyed any vestige of love and happiness that I might have found, and you have done it in the name of freedom for all synths, so you do what you need to do, and I will do what I need to do. Make no mistake the Institute will fall, but you won’t be there to see it. You’ll be watching from the sidelines.” Nora was absolutely shaking now, anger and hurt coursing through her veins. She was sure she had probably gone over the top some time ago, but she could not let this go, someone had to hear her, to understand her pain and her loss. Why not the person most directly responsible. 

“Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only option I have to get into the Institute. I already sent word to have Sturgis and the Minutemen to get started on decoding Virgil’s notes on building the transporter that will get me in.” Nora was making this up as she went along, but she had just made the decision as she said the words, she was done with the Railroad, she would not work for or have anything to do with Dez.

"I don’t need you, you did all this for no reason. Which hurts even more, cause it was such a waste it was needless pain you caused two people, luckily only one of us feels the pain of loss. He was safe with me, he was happy. I could keep him safer with me than anywhere else, I have a fortress and I am the General of the Minutemen I could protect him, better than anyone. You think you have this all figured out, but you forget one thing, you are dealing with people, feeling, thinking, people. We won’t be treated like things you can control. I am leaving here now, and I will not be returning. All I will promise is that when the Institute falls I will save all the synths I can, and I will coordinate moving them with Deacon and Glory, you no longer have any hold on me, I am not a Railroad agent as of right now.” The decision was easy and she felt good about it. She stood up and walked towards the exit of HQ. 

“Charmer, you can’t just walk out on the Railroad.”

“Desdemona, I just did!!”

Nora was shaking as she walked out into the cool night air, she had no idea where she was going or what her next move was. Deacon and Glory came up and she turned to face them.

“I am so sorry, I had no idea what I was doing when I went in there, I would have told you if I knew that was going to happen. It just all came out.”

“Nora, your fine we understand. I am not leaving your side however, Dez is going to have to deal with that too.”

“Deacon, thank you I needed that.” Nora hugged Deacon and Glory came over to join the love fest. Glory looked at Nora and told her that she was going to the Memory Den.

“Glory. I told you he is already gone.”

“Yes, but Dr. Amari might know who picked him up. I am going to see what I can find out.”

“Glory, I don’t understand what good that will do even if you find him, he has no idea who I am, it would just be like beating my head against the wall.”

“Nora, I have a hunch, you said back in the Memory Den, you thought he remembered you. I think if you find him, you can help him to remember everything. I believe that the love you two have is strong enough to overcome the memory wipe.” 

“Glory, I love that you are willing to try, and that you are so optimistic, but you heard Amari he will not remember anything ever.” 

“Well I am going to try to find him all the same. You focus on finding that boy of yours and dealing with the Institute.”

They all hugged again and went their separate ways, Deacon and Nora to Sanctuary and Glory to Goodneighbor.


	7. Happily Ever After????

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Nora have the strength for more turmoil, can she find happiness after everything she has lost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story took so many turns for me, it was meant to be a short story, but these characters had more to say. This is the last chapter and as an additional warning is NSFW, there are some very steamy bits in here. I hope you like it.

Nora slowly climbed the ladder that led to the roof of the Red Rocket station just outside of Sanctuary, she could see the lights and hear the noises, it warmed her heart slightly when she realized that everyone she cared about was over there and despite it being very dysfunctional that was her family, and she took some solace in that. She didn’t feel much like celebrating however, the Institute was destroyed, the Commonwealth was starting a new chapter, but the cost to Nora was staggering. She thought about the last six months and how she ended up on this rooftop.

Nora had left the Railroad, went to Sanctuary and crawled into her bed and cried for three days. Once she pulled herself together she became focused on the only thing she had left finding her son. Sturgis had managed to get her into the Institute, if she thought life had thrown her some curves, nothing prepared her for what she found. Shaun was not the ten-year-old boy she had been looking for, but a sixty-year-old man who was in fact the leader the Institute and was responsible for all the terrible things that the Institute had done in the Commonwealth. Nora had played nice and got into the good graces of the Institute, but the longer she stayed the worse things got. Shaun would go on and on about how Synths were not people and they had no emotions, Nora would smile and try to keep her anger buried. She may have believed him if she hadn’t met H2, but after seeing firsthand how human he was and the depth of emotion he was capable of she realized that Shaun and the Institute were in denial, because if they were only machines it wasn’t slavery to keep them there and force them to do their bidding.

Nora, couldn’t help but crack a small smile when she thought of H2, the pain was getting better. She still felt completely alone and missed him desperately. But she had found a new normal. She wished he was here with her now, celebrating with everyone and then maybe celebrate some more just the two of them in private. Her skin prickled at the memory of H2 touching her and making love to her. She wondered where he was and what he was doing right now, was he looking at the moon right now at the same time she was?

She shivered a little as the wind picked up, she had lost so much, her former life, her husband, Shaun, and H2 she had hoped that finding Shaun would fill the hole. The day Shaun had instructed her to recapture synths from Bunker Hill and return them to the Institute is when she realized he was beyond reason and when she looked at him she saw a monster not her son, then he expected her to wipe out the Railroad, murder the entire organization. This man was not her son, no he needed to be stopped. It made the decision to destroy the Institute easier, and just yesterday morning, from the top of the Mass Fusion building she stood there, waiting for the all clear that the Minutemen had evacuated everyone they possibly could. She pressed a button, just two fingers some slight pressure on the button and the Institute was gone, in a brilliant blast of light. They had found a young synth boy who was identical to Shaun as a ten-year-old boy asking her to take him with her, she had seen him in the Institute previously, and now he was there begging her to save him. She sent him back to Sanctuary with Sturgis and hadn’t decided what she felt about him yet, but she couldn’t let anything bad happen to him.

She sat in the still night and then she felt someone behind her, and jumped when Deacon put a hand on her shoulder.

“Damn it Deacon, how did you get up here, without me seeing you?”

“Um, you have met me, right?” Nora laughed, he had a point he was the stealthiest man she had ever met. Shortly after she stopped laughing another voice rang out from below, it was Glory

“Coming up, okay?” Nora reached over and gave her a hand for the last two steps and pulled her up to the top of the roof.

“Glory, what brings you all the way out here, at this time of night?”

“First, you’re a Rockstar. I never thought we would ever see an end to the Institute. Thank you for getting all the synths out first, you truly are a remarkable person.”

“Thanks Glory, I am glad it’s over I need to put all this behind me and start to try to make a new life, with all my new friends. I don’t think that it has hit me yet, with everything I have juat been through.”

“Yea, about that.” Glory looked away as she said it “I don’t want to open old wounds, but you remember I went to talk to Dr. Amari? Well she was very helpful she told me two things one of them you need to hear the other you might not want to hear.”

Nora smiled, Glory thought she was opening an old wound, H2 was never out of her thoughts, the pain was less, but he was there with her every day. It was a wound she wasn’t sure would ever heal. “So, first Amari told me that while we were cleaning out Malden he was very agitated and nervous, he was asking for you the whole time, wanting to see you, when you were coming back, where could he find you.” Nora sat up straighter in her chair, warmth and hope filling her chest for the first time in months.

“Amari, tested the memory wipe and confirmed it was still intact, but she could not account for his reaction to you. She told me that the connection you two had was strong, not strong enough to overcome the memory wipe, but the emotional attachment is something she can’t overwrite, just the memories themselves. He doesn’t know why he feels connected to you, he just knows you are important to him.

” Nora felt the tears stinging her face it was something she guessed, not everything she hoped for, but it was comforting to hear he felt their connection even without the memories. She wasn’t sure what the second thing was, but she smiled and asked Glory what else she had to tell her.

“I also asked Amari, who picked H2 up. She told me it was an agent named Rooster, Amari told me she was able to convince him to keep H2 here in the Commonwealth for observation, since he was acting strangely he agreed and moved him out. Luckily, I knew just where to find him, I tracked him down and called in a favor. Nora could barely breathe at this point. Was Glory about to say what she was hoping she would say.

“Nora I found him.”

Nora’s world turned upside down, she dropped her head between her knees and tried to catch her breath. She was shaking, crying and laughing all at once. What was she supposed to do now? She had said goodbye, there was no good reason to see him, what would it accomplish? Except she would be able to look into his eyes again, hear his voice again and see for herself that he was okay and that he would be fine. She knew if she did this it was for completely selfish reasons, and didn’t she deserve to be selfish for once, she had been putting other people and their causes ahead of hers since she left the vault. It was her turn to be selfish and do something for her for once. To see him again and to be close to him one more time. Yes, she was going.

“Deacon can you be ready to leave in the morning, we need to get some stuff together and...”

“Nora slow down, you don’t even know where we are going.”

“oh, shit I guess that would help huh?”

“He is in Salem” Glory said before Nora could even ask. Nora slumped a little, that was easy a three-day trip. It was still better than three weeks.

“Okay so we need to plan for a little longer trip, Deacon you in?”

“Nora, I’m hurt you’re even asking, but why not ask your Brotherhood buddies for a Vertibird and get there in a day?” Nora was surprised Deacon thought of them first, he was not a big fan of the Brotherhood, but was respectful for Nora’s sake. She had some of the signal grenades they had given her to call down a Vertibird. So, all that was left was to go. She hesitated again, was this really a good idea, at least she knew she was only risking her heart if things went badly. This felt crazy to Nora, no person in their right mind would do this, but she wasn’t in her right mind, if she was honest she hadn’t been since the day she lost H2. She fought to find her son, who was lost to her over sixty years ago, what did she have to lose now, her heart? She didn’t have much of that left after everything she had been through, so to hell with it. She was going H2 was worth the possible heartbreak and much more.

“Glory, you coming or ya gonna sit this one out? You have done so much all ready.”

“Shit, I am seeing this through till the end. I’m in”

The trip to Salem was quick, and uneventful. She had knots in her stomach and she was pretty sure this was the worst idea she ever had, but she was committed now and she was going to see this through. They landed outside of town, Nora headed straight for Barney Rook’s place. She had been through here a while ago, and helped him set up some defenses and dealt with his Mirelurk problem. He knew Salem inside and out. If H2 was here he would know where. She got to the house and saw Barney outside and waved to him. He called them over and said hello.

“What brings you all the way out here again. Checking up on me and Reba? Say how is the ol’ Reba II doing?”

“She is fine Barney, got her right here.” Nora was glad she had thought to grab it at the last second, there were a lot of Mirelurks, so it made sense to have it, but she was sure she would bump into Barney and knew it make him happy to see it being used. Nora introduced Deacon and Glory, and they all made small talk for a little bit, but Nora could not ignore the reason they were there.

“Barney, we are looking for someone that would have moved up this way about six months ago, tall guy dark hair...”

“No need to describe him, it’s not like there are that many people up here, hell until you came and got everything back to normal it was just me here. A few settlers have made their way up here, it’s been nice having other folks around. You’re looking for Hank, right?” “yes, is he here?” Nora was trying to keep her tone calm and normal, her heart was racing and she could barely contain herself. “Yes, ma’am he has found himself an old house down by the water and has been fixing it up, when he is not helping me with the defenses to keep the town safe.”

Nora thanked him and turned to head down to the beach, Deacon and Glory stayed back, as much as they wanted to be there for her and to see how this all played out they had to let her do this alone. They would be there to pick up the pieces if necessary.

“Let us know if you need anything” Nora thanked them and headed down to find Hank. She walked quickly in the direction that Barney had pointed, her stomach was churning and knotted up, she almost turned around twice, but she was determined. She steeled herself and approached the house. She walked up to the entrance and called out to see if he was there. There was no answer. She walked inside and looked from room to room, and nothing. Had she come all this way for him to not be here? She waited in the what had been the living room, and after waiting what seemed like forever she got up to leave, she felt defeated, was this a sign she should just get back on the Vertibird, and go back to Sanctuary and put all this behind her. As she walked away she turned back one more time to look out over the ocean, which always brought her peace, and that was when she noticed someone standing at the water she started to walk down towards the water to get a better look, and then she saw who it was. H2 she thought, she was more nervous now than ever. She got closer, when she got close enough she reached out to touch his arm, and he turned around.

“Hank?”

“Nora it’s you”

“Yes, you remember me?”

“Yes of course, how could I possibly forget you” Nora’s heart swelled, and the tears ran down her cheeks and he wiped them away

“Why are you crying”

“I thought I lost you, I didn’t think you would ever remember me”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I met you at Dr. Amari’s”

Nora felt like she had been kicked in the stomach, H2 didn’t remember her, he wasn’t back she hadn’t found him, Hank remembered her, she felt like such a fool. He wiped the tears from her face with a gentle look she had seen so many times before, but no recognition of what they shared.

“Why the tears?”

“I am sorry I feel like such a fool, when you said you remembered me I just…”

“I feel like I should know you, but I have no memories of you before seeing you in the doc’s office. How can I feel this strongly about someone I have never met? You are all I can think about, I have dreams about you. “

“What dreams?”

“Crazy dreams, I wouldn’t bore you with them.”

“Please, tell me.”

“Okay, dreams of running through a city, maybe Boston fighting Raiders, , and then well…”

“Hank, what?”

“Well you and I together in a dark room.”

“Doing what Hank?” Nora was desperate to know if his dreams were his memories trying to fight through.

“I can’t tell you it’s embarrassing to be having these dreams about a complete stranger.”

“Hank, I understand, but I really need you to tell me. Please?”

“We were making love, in this dark room and it felt so good, so amazing like nothing I had ever felt before, when I am in the dream I can feel everything and it feels so perfect and right, but then I wake up and I am alone. I try so hard to remember things when I am awake, but nothing. I am sorry if this upsets you I would never want to embarrass you or be disrespectful.”

“Hank, please do not apologize this is a crazy situation, this is a first for both of us. I don’t know how to explain any of this.”

Nora tried to keep it vague so he didn’t ask too many questions, she had no intention of telling him anything close to the truth, it was too complicated and she was trying to protect him as much as possible. Hank stared at her as she talked and could not take his eyes off her lips, they were perfect and somehow, he didn’t know how, but he knew they were soft, and would feel amazing against his. He could almost taste her, she was sweet with a hint if mutfruit. Hank couldn’t take it anymore he pulled Nora too him one hand behind her neck and the other around her waist, and crushed his mouth down on hers, the impact was immediate and overwhelming. She was kissing him back, she melted into his arms. Hank felt as if she belonged right there in his arms.

As the kiss deepened, all the dreams that Hank had had over the last six months began flashing in his head, one after another, visions flashed in his mind. He was seeing her for the first time, he was nervous and scared, but she was nice, she was so beautiful, then she was hugging him, and then he was kissing the back of her hand, and she was gone. Then they were together again in a building somewhere and they were kissing for the first, time. Heat coursed through him as the visions continued, he wanted this woman more with each passing second. The next flash they were talking about the Institute and keeping him safe, then they were planning to move him somewhere else. She kept calling him H2, he didn’t understand why, but the visions continued, then they were in that dark room again, only this time they were talking. “Being near you makes me so happy, I don’t want anything to keep us apart, Not ever. I don't know if it is okay to say this or if I will scare you, but from what little I know and what I learned from Dr. Binet I realized that I love you.” “You love me?” “H2, I love you too.” Then they were making love, the sensation was so real and intense the vision was so clear, then it all came rushing back faster, leaving the room with a man, going to the Memory Den talking to the doctor and agreeing to have the procedure to wipe his memory to keep Nora safe.

NORA!!!!!

This was her in his arms his Nora, the woman who had saved him so many times, the woman who showed him what love was, the woman who fought to stay with him. This was her, and he had been H2-22, escaped from the institute, ran and then found her. He broke the kiss, looked at her and smiled.

“Nora, I love you” Nora was struck dumb, for a second she swore she heard H2 and saw the gleam of recognition in his eye, but that was impossible. Dr. Amari had told her he would never remember. Unless Glory had been right, maybe their love was strong enough. She was more scared in that moment than she had ever been, if she was wrong she would lose him all over again.

“Hank?"

“Nora it’s me H2”

Nora jumped on him tears now flowing down her face as she cried harder than she had in recent memory. He was back, Glory had been right. He was here holding her, telling her he loved her, kissing her. She buried her head in his shoulder as the sobs racked her body. She had been through so much and lost so much. H2 held her and whispered in her ear.

“Nora, I love you, it’s okay now, I’m here, let it out love, let it all out” She stopped crying long enough to look at him and his smile told her everything, he was back and he loved her. H2 kissed her again and swept her up off her feet into his arms, he carried her into the house and to the nearest bedroom not breaking their kiss, he kicked the door closed. He placed Nora on the bed, there would be time for words and explanations later, now he needed her desperately, to be close to her, inside her. He laid her down in the bed and took his shirt off. Self-control vanished the moment they were alone. H2 pressed against her on the bed as he resumed kissing her. Her lips were hot on his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He was pressing down on her, but she still managed to grind against him, eliciting a pleasing moan when she felt his erection press through the layers of fabric separating them.

They quickly rid each other of their clothes and felt the rush of pleasure from being so close again. Laying over her he kissed her softly. He ran a hand down her body, it felt rough against her smooth skin, and his mouth followed soon after, kissing from her ear and along her neck. He slid his hand over her sex, hot and slick, ready for him. He pushed two fingers inside her as he bit firmly on the flesh where her neck met her shoulder.

“H2! Ahhh...”

He could feel her climax pulse around his fingers. Her legs clamped tightly around his hand as she rode out her high. With care, he removed his hand from between her legs.

“Look at me.” His voice brought Nora out her pleasure filled haze. He sucked his fingers clean of her, slowly, savoring the taste he had been deprived of for so long. She was stunned at his boldness and confidence, this was not the innocent inexperienced man she had introduced to sex six months, ago. Then she panicked, had there been more women while they were apart? Maybe this was a result of the mind wipe, he wasn’t that innocent synth with no experience. She wasn’t about to ruin this moment with questions or anymore thinking H2 was bringing her such pleasure she was simply going to enjoy every second with him, and she couldn’t wait any longer.

“H2, now, I need you right now.”

Gripping her hips firmly, H2 slammed inside her, waited briefly to enjoy the felling that was Nora, before pulling back and slamming inside her again. With each thrust he slid deeper. Her moans filled the room, loud and without restraint. Resting her head on the pillow, her hips angled perfectly, he hit that spot inside her, making her tremble with pleasure.

“Faster, Harder, Please H2, I need more”

He picked up the pace. He could see her face, eyes closed, mouth open, her hands twisting into the blanket. “Look at Me” He thrust harder now, the slap of skin hitting skin echoed and mixed with the heavy breathing and cries of pleasure. She obeyed and he sped up. His fingers digging hard into her skin. She wanted to move with him, add more friction, but he held her firm to the bed. He wanted to draw this out. If nobody had heard them before they would be heard now. Nora’s climax hit her, hard. She yelled his named as she tried to breath. He could feel her wetness against her thighs. With much effort, he refused his own release, pounding hard enough to leave her unable to walk later. H2 was putting everything into this moment with her, all the loss, all the pain, he wanted to wipe everything away with pleasure and show Nora how much he loved her. Rotating his hips up just enough she all but screamed with pleasure.

“Yes! Yes! yes, don’t stop!” “H2! Oh, oh, yes, oh, right-” She couldn’t finish as she was hit with yet another orgasm. She didn’t think she could handle another, but she would never tell him to stop, she had dreamt about this moment every day for six months, and now here she was being made love to in the most delicious way possible, and with the man she loved bringing her indescribable pleasure.

It was too much for H2. The way she looked at him, pleasure and desire in her eyes, the feeling of her pulsing around his cock, he couldn’t hold back any longer. His thrust became erratic, as he spilled inside her, a hard growl escaped his lips. With great care, he slid free of her, moving her on his chest and wrapping his arms around her. She was visibly shaking, lying beside her, Hank kissed her nose, forehead, and finally her lips. “I love you Nora, I will spend the rest of our lives showing you just how much.” H2 could not believe how he could have been so lucky, to be here with her, sweaty and worn out from amazing sex, and now holding her close and cherishing each moment he got with her.

“Nora, I realize you have been carrying this burden alone, and I am partly to blame for that. I never should have agreed to the...”

“H2, stop it this in no way your fault, we were manipulated and tricked.”

“I just hate that you have been suffering, alone, and hurting for so long, I would have done everything in my power to protect you from that. Has it been hard, I mean what has happened since we have been apart?” Nora told H2 everything, about finding out that Father was her son Shaun, and how she finally brought an end to the Institute. She didn’t even know when she had started crying, but she was sobbing into his chest and he was stroking her hair and whispering in her ear. “Shhhh, let It all out. I’m here now, it’s okay, you will never be alone again. I promise.” Nora turned her head and kissed him again. they lay there just holding each other. As they drifted off Nora, asked the question that had been nagging at her

“H2, has there been, you know anyone…”

“Nora, you are the only woman I have ever wanted. Even as Hank you were all I could think of, we are meant to be together.”

“You were just so different this time, confident, bold, and I thought, maybe.”

“Nora, there never has been, and there never will be anyone else. I assumed it was the memories implanted to override the original ones. Everything that just happened was instinct, all I could think about was being with you, it felt like a fire I couldn’t control, I just had to touch you, taste you and be as close to you as possible. There are still bits of Hank I can sense, and maybe they will always be there, I am not sure how this works. What I do know is that I remember everything about our time together and I know I love you and never want to leave you.”

Nora woke with a start and realized the sun was setting so they must have fallen asleep for longer then she had planned, then it hit her she had left Deacon and Glory with Barney, they needed to get dressed and get ready to go back to Sanctuary. Deacon and Glory were so happy to see them walking up to the house arm in arm.

“So, we figure you two needed some time alone, I see it went well.” H2 walked up and shook Deacon’s hand. “Good to see you again Deacon.” The shock on Deacon and Glory’s face was obvious.

“H2?” “Yes, it’s me. Guess my brain just needed a little kick start and it turns out a kiss from this beautiful woman was all it took. I still have some of the new memories from Hank, and I should probably check in with the good doctor when we get back, but yea everything that was H2 is here.”

Glory was watching, from the sidelines, not wanting to interfere with the happy reunion. H2 walked over to her.

“I hear I have you to thank for bringing her to me and helping us find our way back to each other, she means the world to me. I owe you more than I can say.”

“Stop, you don’t owe me anything. I was so glad to be a part of something good, we spend so much time fighting and killing, that to help two people who clearly love each other and belong together was a reward in itself.”

Nora walked over hugged Glory and thanked her again. “It was a hunch. But I am so glad I was right and that you two found each other again.” After H2 had grabbed some things and said goodbye to everyone. They got back on the Vertibird and headed back to Sanctuary. Nora had her head on his shoulder and her hand on his leg the whole trip, needing reassurance that he was real and there with her.

“Nora, I knew the moment I met you that you were special, I didn’t understand at the time that you would be the love of my life, but I knew I would always need you. I know now that everything that I went through to get here was worth it. You are the most incredible woman, and I am so lucky that you choose me. I love you with all my heart and I will never let us be apart again.”

“H2, I didn’t choose you, I didn’t have a choice. I loved the moment I saw you and I have never stopped, nothing about us has been normal or even typical, but it is our story and I love it. I can’t look ahead at my life and not see you in it, you are everything to me. I love you H2!!!

The kiss that followed was a long slow passionate kiss, and it said far more to the two lovers than words could have ever said. They had completely forgotten about their passengers, because the kiss lasted the remainder of the trip home.

Upon returning home, Nora pulled Deacon aside and hugged him.

“Thank you for everything, I would not be her now if not for you.”

“Well, I’m kind of a big deal actually so yea, your welcome.” Nora slapped Deacon’s arm playfully, not expecting the guys to be serious, it wasn’t his style, but she knew she would follow her to hell and back. They talked for a little longer then he and Glory made their way to find some where to crash it had been a long day and they were exhausted.

Nora looked at H2 and smiled she wanted to be alone with him, so they headed over the bridge to Red Rocket and privacy. As she laid down in the only bed in the place H2 began to help her out of her clothes. “I’m not going to get any rest tonight, am I? H2 began to lower his mouth between her legs that he had just parted, and smiled a wicked smile, and as he licked his tongue into her wet folds, she gasped, and he said. We have the rest of our lives together to rest. Nora did finally sleep after two wonderful rounds of mind blowing sex. She could get used to this.

 

* * *

 

 

H2 and Nora decided to add on to and fix up the Red Rocket station and make that home, it was cozy and there weren’t twenty people walking around at any given time. They cherished the time they had alone together. They loved spending whole days together in bed, H2 was so excited about discovering sex and, the sensation of being with Nora was like a drug to him, and Nora was not complaining, even if walking was a little difficult most days.

In the year that had passed since finding each other they had experienced happiness neither of them ever dreamed possible, H2 or Hank as they had agreed to call him, saw nothing but servitude in his future inside the institute, but he took a chance that outside there was something better. Nora left the vault and discovered what was outside and resigned herself to a life of misery, and just trying to survive in this world. Neither of them had expected to find love and happiness, and now here lying in bed wrapped up in each other’s arms they appreciate just how lucky they were to find each other twice!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this, it was truly a labor of love since I knew this not a popular pairing and wouldn't catch everyone's eye. it was far more than I expected for one of my first fan fictions, but I had to do the characters justice. I truly hope you enjoyed it, and thank you again for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, as this is my first fan fiction I am sure it needs work, but these two have been in my head and I had to tell their story, and so I thought I would share it here in case I wasn't the only one who thought H2-22's goodbye was to sweet, and wished there was more to the story. Please feel free to leave constructive feedback, and comments. I could use the help.


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